Shocking New Study: People Actually See What You Post Online

SOCIAL MEDIA! Twitter, Facebook, Instagram...even SnapChat, Periscope and Meerkat. I hate to admit it, but on the worst days, I depend on new likes and new friend requests to validate me. I have a social media plan, so that without spending money, I can grow my Twitter following. I work at my social media profiles. I recognize that the concept is disgusting, but I know I'm not alone.

Twitter is one  of my favorite things in the world because I get more than 75% of my news of the world, from Twitter. Facebook, radio and my sister, in that order, fill in the other 25% of where I get my information. I use Twitter to connect with other comedians and gain followers that share my sense of humor. Sometimes I try out new jokes or just share ideas and stories I find intriguing. But mostly, I use Twitter to stand on the fake soap box of the interweb to validate my hilariousness.

Last week, I had a very real reminder that people pay attention. Not everytime. Not every Tweet. But if you put your thoughts out there, there are very real consequences to what you say. This, is a terrifying thought to me, because my entire career has been built upon being transparent, open with my experiences, and connecting to others through my feelings.

Here's what happened: I woke up one morning late last week. I love to get up in the morning because I look forward to that first cup of coffee. Where everything is quiet and you don't have to dive into your day just yet. I wander into the kitchen to realize, we are out! I was heartbroken. Angry, heartbroken and looking for a fix. So I took to Twitter to comedicly vent about my serious disappointment.

I thought it was mildly amusing. But, in reality, I was complaining and got rewarded. I know that this turned into a positive experience, but two things come to mind. A) I didn't write that statement to get free stuff. I wrote it because I thought it was funny and someone else might relate. B) It shocked me that someone that I've never met, noticed, responded and engaged with me. The Tweet made so much of an impact that they (the Nestle company) felt compelled to reach out and help me fix my caffeine problem. That's powerful stuff.

Now, let's for a moment imagine, I Tweeted how excited I was about an upcoming vacation. Seems simple and harmless. But again, the magic of Twitter is that anyone can see that. A few key strokes to find out where I live and I could get back from vacation to an empty apartment.

What if I was sharing things like, where I work, where I go for runs, what comedy shows I'm performing at or checking in at restaurants when I'm having a night out with the girls? Oh wait, I do that already. Usually I post those things thinking "No one really cares...it's just a cute picture." But anyone, ANYONE, even a corporation like Nestle, can see that and show up at any event. Great for businesses, scary for a woman with a crazy ex-boyfriend.

This quick lesson in "Anyone or everyone could be watching" doesn't even touch on the targeted marketing that happens when you post about your life. Did you type that you had a great time shopping with your bestie today? Hmmm, suddenly Forever21 and Old Navy ads start popping up on the side of your Facebook....that's a coincidence! Did you just announce an engagement? Those ads for wedding dresses weren't there last week! Nestle, for example, saw that I needed coffee, and wanted to promote their new product. IN A HUGE WAY! That is really cool marketing.

Targeted marketing ads are interesting to me, and not just because Nestle sent me a free coffee machine.  In fact, targeted ads

This was delivered to me by Nescafe!

do not bother me at all. If I want something, I don't want to wander aimlessly in Target for three hours trying to find what I'm looking for. Put it up on an online ad and tell me what store it is at. I'll go there and get it. (Not that I don't have time to wander at Target for three hours, I just don't have pockets deep enough for that kind of trip).

It's just another example that anyone or everyone is watching what you say all the time, even if you don't feel validated in the amount of likes, shares, or new friend requests you receive.


So here's my list of "Be safe and smart social media posting rules:"

1. Don't say anything that you wouldn't want to talk to your parents about.

2. Remain positive. (Bad days happen, but blasting on Facebook that your company is stupid and you'd do a better job than your boss is a recipe for unemployment. Try "Damn, this was a tough day. Good thing there is a bed with my name on it!)

3. Be insightful. Don't just post for the sake of posting. Have a thought, however goofy, weird, or out there it might be.

4. Post things that you want people to talk to you about in real life. (Don't know a lot about politics? Then unless you want to get into a debate with a coworker about that Trump article you just posted...just, don't.)

5. NEVER EVER EVER post where you live and only share where you will be if it is to promote an event at a place you feel comfortable.

These are not steadfast rules. Again, I have based my career and life goals around being open and honest so that I may connect to other people. So for me, social media helps me do that in a big way.  You may find that a different set of rules helps you navigate web-space better, safer or at least smarter.

Happy posting and remember, anyone and everyone is watching!

The Police, "Every Breath You Take."

This song was written by Sting in 1982 in half an hour. Most people think it's a comforting love song but he wrote it with Big Brother in mind. It's actually about surveillance and control. Released in 1983 (same as me!) I figured THIS was the perfect song to relay and summarize the message of the blog. Who knew this song would stay relevant for so many years?